ARLINGTON — Dick Cress had the wheels pulled out from under him.
Stepping outside the Stillaguamish Athletic Club on Saturday, Cress found his primary means of transportation gone: Someone stole his bike.
“I was devastated,” Cress said. “My bike is my life.”
The retired archite
ct and Air Force veteran is known around town for his daily rides to and from Smokey Point. He’s pedaled for thousands of miles — 72,000 miles by the time he reached 72 last year — often wearing his neon-green helmet.
He took up riding 16 years ago as a way to improve his health.
He had gained weight after his son, Patrick, was murdered in the 1983 and his wife, Katherine, died of cancer. During the stress of these life-changing losses, Cress also developed a three-pack-a-day cigarette habit.
Since he started riding, Cress lost more than 130 pounds. And he’s quit smoking.
His friend, Lesley Caveness, met Cress when they volunteered for Families and Friends of Missing Persons and Violent Crime Victims.
“He is a wonderful person,” Caveness said. “He hasn’t got two nickels to rub together.”
Doggone it, she said, why would someone rip off his bike?
“He was riding every day, no matter what the weather,” said the Bothell woman. “At his age, he can’t rest or he’ll rust.”
Arlington city spokeswoman Kristin Banfield said the serial number of the stolen bicycle has been entered into a national system.
“We can track it,” Banfield said. “We are looking for suspects.”
They’d love to get his bike back, she said.
Cress has a truck that he uses to get around town, but says that his bike is his preferred means of transportation.
He stopped by the bike shop Tuesday to price new bikes. He figures it’ll be a few months before he can buy one.
Cress also did some bushwhacking Tuesday near his gym. He said he hoped someone dumped his Trek bicycle in the woods. He said it used to be his habit not to lock the bicycle when he worked out at the club because he didn’t expect any problems in his small town.
“They got everything bike related, including gloves, helmet, computer, front and rear strobe lights, saddle bags, clip pedals, etc.,” he said.
“Chances are it’s gone for good.”
Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451; oharran@heraldnet.com.
His story
Read Dick Cress’ story with this piece here or at the Dignity of Victims Everywhere site at www.dove-wa.org.
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